In recent years the importance of turbidity in well waters has increased. Wells often yield waters with particle concentrations that are well above drinking water standards, but which vary in a complex manner with pumping rates and other hydrogeological conditions. In addition to the problem of water quality, the particulates often interfere with treatment plants (especially for nitrate), and this can be very costly. Particle removal at well head is possible, but often the costs are high in both monetary terms and carbon, and many wells have been used at much lower than capacity in order to try and alleviate the problem. MWH have been investigating these issues for a range of major water concerns in around 12 sites in southern England, including undertaking some major pumping tests with extensive analysis of turbidity, chemical, and microbiological monitoring. On the basis of this, MWH has been able to advise its clients in a semi-quantitative way on the management of specific well groups. The aim of the proposed project is to build on this experience to produce a quantitative and generalized representation of the movement of particles around pumping wells in chalk aquifers. The approach, which draws on recent experience obtained on the Birmingham University campus research borehole array, is as follows: Task1: literature survey of all engineering fields involving particle movement in porous and fractured media. Task2: examination of existing chalk data, and collection of data from sites in other parts of the sequence to establish empirical relationships and whether patterns observed by MWH are repeated elsewhere. Task3: examination and analysis of sandstone well data collected by Birmingham University to act as a comparator to indicate the sensitivity of turbidity to hydraulic mechanisms. Task4: sampling and characterization of the particles to provide evidence on provenance and pathway size. Task5: test the hypotheses concerning mechanisms emerging from Tasks 1-4 using lab methods. Task6: synthesize conclusions from Tasks 1-5 to update the MWH conceptual model. Task7: develop a quantitative model based on the conceptual model of Task 6, probably with an empirical rather than detailed process-basis. Task8: test the model against new data, and modify appropriately. Task9: use the model to investigate management issues and what turbidity data may be able to indicate about near-well hydraulics (e.g. pathway residence times). The intended product is a general model that could be used in the management of pumping wells, and an improved understanding of the mechanisms of particle movement around wells. From this basis, the important finding of MWH that turbidity is correlated with pollutant concentrations (microbes, metals, and PAH correlations have all been observed) could be investigated in a future project.

This proposal concerns the creation of an internationally leading Centre for doctoral training in sustainable civil engineering. The widest possible definition of sustainability is adopted, with the Centre covering the effective whole life design and performance of major civil engineering infrastructure. This includes the re-appraisal and re-use of existing infrastructure and the opportunities afforded by multiple-use. This sector is widely reported to face major problems recruiting the type, quality and number of people required. The Centre will address the key challenges of fit for purpose, economic viability, environmental impact, resilience, infrastructure inter-dependence, durability as well as the impacts of changes in population, urbanisation, available natural resources, technology and societal expectations. This requires a broad-based approach to research training, effectively integrated across the wide range of disciplines presently encompassed within the civil engineering profession. Very few academic institutions are capable of providing in-depth training across this range of subjects. However, the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Imperial College, recently (QS 2013) ranked number one in the world against its competitor departments, is uniquely placed within the UK to achieve exactly this. The Centre will recruit high quality, ambitious engineers. The doctoral training will combine intellectual challenge, technical content and rigor, with focused involvement in the practically important problems presently faced by the civil engineering profession. Advice and guidance from a high-level and broadly-based industrial advisory panel will be important in achieving the latter. Most importantly, the CDT will equip students with an appreciation of the wider context in which their research work is undertaken. The proposed programme is clearly designed to be PhD-PLUS; where the PLUS relates to a clear understanding of the breath of the problem within which their specific research sits, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. This latter component will include the industrial perspective, the societal need, the long term sustainability of the work and its immediate impact. The proposed CDT will make a difference by producing high quality civil engineers who understand global sustainability issues, in the widest possible context, and who have the skills and vision to eventually lead major infrastructure development projects or research programmes. Training will combine intensive taught training modules, group working around Grand Challenge projects in collaboration with industry and high quality research training. Project-based multi-disciplinary collaborative working will be at the core of the CDT training experience, modelling the way leading companies explore design options involving mixed disciplinary teams working together on ambitious projects. Working on a real-world problem, the students will have to interact extensively with others to understand the problem in detail, to develop holistic potential solutions, to assess these solutions and to identify the uncertainties and questions that can only be answered through further research. They will develop skills associated with coping with complexity, being able to make value-based decisions and being confident with interdisciplinary working. They will also be heavily involved in identifying and defining the research problem within the wider multi-faceted project and so will gain a much broader perspective of how specific research developing responsible innovation fits within a large civil engineering project. Overall, this approach is much more likely to develop the additional skills required by industry compared to conventional doctoral civil engineering training.

Flooding is a major problem in the UK as recent high profile events in the summers of 2006 and 2007 have shown. In these events the damage to property and belongings ran into billions of pounds and a number of people were injured or lost their lives in these events. Therefore, predicting the location and severity of flooding is extremely important in preventing these losses. Current computer models for predicting flooding are highly accurate, but take a very long time to run even on the fastest computers. This project intends to use a technique known as cellular automata, a model based on the localised interactions of small cells, to simulate flooding in such a way that it will be possible to run complicated scenarios on a standard PC. The new approach will gain efficiency by making use of the fact that each cell can only 'see' the cells closest to it and the project will investigate the best ways of allowing each cell to communicate with its neighbours. The approach will be tested over a number of different flooding scenarios and compared with existing methodologies to demonstrate its accuracy and increased efficiency over standard methods.

The UK water sector is entering a period of profound change with both public and private sector actors seeking evidence-based responses to a host of emerging global, regional and national challenges which are driven by demographic, climatic, and land use changes as well as regulatory pressures for more efficient delivery of services. Although the UK Water Industry is keen to embrace the challenge and well placed to innovate, it lacks the financial resources to support longer term skills and knowledge generation. A new cadre of engineers is required for the water industry to not only make our society more sustainable and profitable but to develop a new suite of goods and services for a rapidly urbanising world.The EPSRC Industrial Doctorate Centre programme is an ideal mechanism with which to remediate the emerging shortfall in advanced engineering skills within the sector. In particular, the training of next-generation engineering leaders for the sector requires a subtle balance between industrial and academic contributions; calling for a funding mechanism which privileges industrial need but provides for significant academic inputs to training and research. The STREAM initiative draws together (for the first time) five of the UK's leading water research and training groups to secure the future supply of advanced engineering professionals in this area of vital importance to the UK. Led by the Centre for Water Science at Cranfield University, the consortium also draws on expertise from the Universities of Sheffield and Bradford, Imperial College London, Newcastle University, and the University of Exeter. STREAM offers Engineering Doctorate awards through a programme which incorporates; (i) acquisition of advanced technical skills through attendance at masters level training courses, (ii) tuition in the competencies and abilities expected of senior engineers, and (iii) doctoral level research projects. Students spend at least 75% of their time working in industry or on industry specified research problems. Example research topics to be addressed by the scheme's Research Engineers include; delivering drinking water quality and protecting public health; reducing carbon footprint; reducing water demand; improving service resilience and reliability; protecting natural water bodies; reducing sewer flooding, developing and implementing strategies for Integrated Water Management, and delivering new approaches to characterising, communicating and mitigating risk and uncertainty. Ten studentships per year for five years will be offered with each position being sponsored by an industrial partner from the water sector.A series of common attendance events will underpin programme and group identity. These include, (i) an initial three-month programme based at Cranfield University, (ii) an open invitation STREAM symposium and (iii) a Challenge Week to take place each summer including transferrable skills training and guest lectures from leading industrialists and scientists. Outreach activities will extend participation in the programme, pursue collaboration with associated initiatives, promote 'brand awareness' of the EngD qualification, and engage with a wide range of stakeholder groups (including the public) to promote engagement with and understanding of STREAM activities.Strategic direction for the programme will be formulated through an Industry Advisory Board comprising representatives from professional bodies, employers, and regulators. This body will provide strategic guidance informed by sector needs, review the operational aspects of the taught and research components as a quality control, and conduct foresight studies of relevant research areas. A small International Steering Committee will ensure global relevance for the programme. The total cost of the STREAM programme is 10.2m, 4.4m of which is being invested by industry and 5.8m of which is being requested from EPSRC.

The UK water sector is experiencing a period of profound change with both public and private sector actors seeking evidence-based responses to a host of emerging global, regional and national challenges which are driven by demographic, climatic, and land use changes as well as regulatory pressures for more efficient delivery of services. Although the UK Water Industry is keen to embrace the challenge and well placed to innovate, it lacks the financial resources to support longer term skills and knowledge generation. A new cadre of engineers is required for the water industry to not only make our society more sustainable and profitable but to develop a new suite of goods and services for a rapidly urbanising world. EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training provide an ideal mechanism with which to remediate the emerging shortfall in advanced engineering skills within the sector. In particular, the training of next-generation engineering leaders for the sector requires a subtle balance between industrial and academic contributions; calling for a funding mechanism which privileges industrial need but provides for significant academic inputs to training and research. The STREAM initiative draws together five of the UK's leading water research and training groups to secure the future supply of advanced engineering professionals in this area of vital importance to the UK. Led by the Centre for Water Science at Cranfield University, the consortium also draws on expertise from the Universities of Sheffield and Bradford, Imperial College London, Newcastle University, and the University of Exeter. STREAM offers Engineering Doctorate and PhD awards through a programme which incorporates; (i) acquisition of advanced technical skills through attendance at masters level training courses, (ii) tuition in the competencies and abilities expected of senior engineers, and (iii) doctoral level research projects. Our EngD students spend at least 75% of their time working in industry or on industry specified research problems. Example research topics to be addressed by the scheme's students include; delivering drinking water quality and protecting public health; reducing carbon footprint; reducing water demand; improving service resilience and reliability; protecting natural water bodies; reducing sewer flooding, developing and implementing strategies for Integrated Water Management, and delivering new approaches to characterising, communicating and mitigating risk and uncertainty. Fifteen studentships per year for five years will be offered with each position being sponsored by an industrial partner from the water sector. A series of common attendance events will underpin programme and group identity. These include, (i) an initial three-month taught programme based at Cranfield University, (ii) an open invitation STREAM symposium and (iii) a Challenge Week to take place each summer including transferrable skills training and guest lectures from leading industrialists and scientists. Outreach activities will extend participation in the programme, pursue collaboration with associated initiatives, promote 'brand awareness' of the EngD qualification, and engage with a wide range of stakeholder groups (including the public) to promote engagement with and understanding of STREAM activities. Strategic direction for the programme will be formulated through an Industry Advisory Board comprising representatives from professional bodies, employers, and regulators. This body will provide strategic guidance informed by sector needs, review the operational aspects of the taught and research components as a quality control, and conduct foresight studies of relevant research areas. A small International Steering Committee will ensure global relevance for the programme. The total cost of the STREAM programme is £9m, £2.8m of which is being invested by industry and £1.8m by the five collaborating universities. Just under £4.4m is being requested from EPSRC